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In the heat of the summer, I do not feel like cooking anything. I need something that I can put together and then have in my fridge for a few days. I want to pull it out and dip up a bowl and that's it. This Greek Tortellini Salad is perfect for that kind of meal. It's filling with the cheese tortellini but has so many amazing fresh flavors with the fresh vegetables that we added. Greek Tortellini Salad 18 oz cheese tortellini, cooked as directed 1 English cucumber, sliced and halved 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup roasted red bell pepper, diced 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped 1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled Dressing: 1/4 cup olive oil 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard 1/4 tsp garlic powder salt and pepper Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing and set it aside while you're cooking your pasta and chopping your vegetables. After you cook your tortellini, rinse it under cold water. Once you've chopped up all your vegetables, add them, the tortellini, and the dressing to a large bowl. Stir well. Cover and refrigerate overnight for the best flavors. Serve chilled. Everyone in my family loves this Greek Tortellini Salad. It makes a great lunch or dinner and it's great for any summer get-togethers you are having. You may also like our Easy Seafood Pasta Salad this summer!

I recently shared our recipe for a Butterbeer Milkshake ! Today, I'm going to share another fun Harry Potter dinner idea that pairs perfectly with the fourth Harry Potter book or movie, Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. If you've read the book or watched the movie, you know that the Goblet of Fire is the one with the Triwizard Tournament and features a new character - Alaster Moody. He is also known as Mad-Eye Moody because he has a magical eye that can rotate 360 degrees and see through anything, including invisibility cloaks! Gillyweed is a magical plant that when eaten gives you gills and allows you to breathe underwater. It also creates webbing between your fingers and toes which comes in handy for swimming. In case you haven't read the book yet, I don't want to give any spoilers, but Gillyweed makes its debut in this book. So, for this themed movie night dinner, I served Mad-Eye Moody Meatballs and Gillyweed Pasta! Of course, there was also a butterbeer milkshake on the side and a chocolate frog for dessert. Harry Potter Dinner Mad-Eye Moody Meatballs Ingredients: Frozen meatballs mozzarella cheese, sliced, cut into circles canned olives, sliced small round cookie cutter or shot glass for cutting the cheese circles Directions: Bake your meatballs as directed on the package in the oven or pan. While your meatballs are baking, lay out your sliced cheese on a cutting board, and use a small round cookie cutter or shot glass to press into the cheese, creating small circle shapes. Once your meatballs are cooked, place the small circle of cheese on top of each meatball and finish it off with a slice of olive to create an eyeball look. I placed my meatballs back in the oven on broil for a minute (while watching it), to make sure my cheese melted a little bit and adhered to the meatball, but kept its shape and didn't melt off. Now you have Mad-Eye Moody Meatballs! Set your meatballs aside while you finish your Gillyweed Pasta and then you can plate it together. Gillyweed Pasta Ingredients: pesto, jarred or homemade angel hair pasta, or spaghetti noodles looks best and can be called mermaid hair pasta for fun Directions: Cook your pasta as directed on the package and drain well Add the pasta back into the pot and top with pesto sauce, stir to combine, and warm through Now, you can serve your Harry Potter-inspired meal! Dip up some Gillyweed Pasta and top it with a few Mad-Eye Moody Meatballs and enjoy! Do you throw themed movie nights at your house? If so, what other movies should I create themed dinners for?

Summer is coming to an end. Kids are starting back to school, and it’s time for Moms everywhere to celebrate the end of summer and embrace the routine again. Since watermelon is a quintessential summer fruit, what better way to celebrate the end of summer than with a watermelon sangria recipe?! We think it’s pretty perfect. We like making our watermelon sangria in a mason jar, because well, why not and plus it’s easy to take on picnics. Yes, now that the kids are in school we're encouraging you to plan a day date for you and the hubby. Play hooky and plan a romantic midday picnic for just the two of you! Pack a cheese tray, some watermelon sangria, and some chocolate to nibble on, and head to a local park or picnic table for some sunshine and fresh air. This watermelon sangria is pretty easy to put together and makes a tasty drink for a picnic. This recipe makes enough for one mason jar serving, but you can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste and serving size. Watermelon Sangria Ingredients : Sparkling Watermelon Water ( this or this work well) White wine Rum Watermelon, cubed and frozen Mason jars Directions: Start by simply filling your mason jar with about 1/2 inch to 1 inch of rum, depending on how strong you like your sangria. Then, fill your mason jar about halfway with your wine. Next, add in your sparkling watermelon water until your jar is about 3/4 of the way full. At this point, you can stick your jar in the fridge or picnic basket for a little while until you’re ready to sip it. Lastly, you’re going to add in some frozen watermelon chunks before serving it. We cut our watermelon into about 1-inch cubes and put them into the freezer for a few hours before serving our drinks. Finish off your watermelon sangria with a few sprigs of mint – yum! Serve it with a pretty straw if you’d like or drink it straight out of the jar. Happy last days of summer! For more delicious recipes, check out our lavender lemonade and lobster rolls , both are perfect for summer!

It is officially pumpkin coffee season aka the best season in my opinion. I love a good pumpkin latte but I can't justify getting a Starbucks coffee every day, so I whipped up this recipe to make my own Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam recipe at home. It's a pretty good Starbucks copycat recipe! It uses real pumpkin so there is no artificial flavor there and this batch makes about 4-6 servings, depending on how much cold foam you put in your coffee. I'm sipping on one as I type this. Now, let me share this yummy treat with you so you can enjoy one too. Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon brown sugar 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice 1 teaspoon vanilla In a jar, I use a mason jar with a lid, add together all your ingredients. Blend the ingredients together using a handheld milk frother . Once it's blended and creamy, store it in the refrigerator with the lid on it. I usually serve mine over a glass with cold brew but I've also stirred it into hot coffee and it's good like that too! Watch our tiktok where we make this drink ! This recipe makes about a mason jar full. That will make me a pumpkin latte each day for about 4 or 5 days. You may also like our pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and butterbeer milkshakes .

This zombie brain sushi is a fun food for Halloween. It's creepy looking, but really it's just sushi jazzed up to look like a brain and my kids eat it up (literally)! Zombie Brain Sushi *This recipe makes 4 brains, using 1/2 of an avocado for each brain. Ingredients: avocados x 2 cooked sushi rice cream cheese, about 4 tablespoons smoked salmon, about 9 oz red food coloring, a few drops Directions: Prep: Cook your sushi rice as directed on the package. I cooked 1 cup of dry sushi rice. Cut your avocado in half and take out the pit. Scoop the flesh out of the skin leaving the whole avocado in that half shape. Fill the hole in your avocado with some softened cream cheese. 3. Place the avocado, cream cheese side down, onto your plate. 4. Cover the avocado with the cooked sushi rice (save some sushi rice in a small bowl for the last step. Have a bowl of water nearby to wet your hands so that the rice doesn't stick to your hands. 5. Take pieces of the smoked salmon, fold them to create the brain-like folds, and place them on top of the rice, folding them to create that brain look. 6. Cover your brain with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge. This helps mold that salmon into the brain shape. 7. Add a few drops of the red food coloring to the sushi rice that you saved earlier. Stir it around to coat. 8. Take out your sushi brains and add the red rice in a line down the center of your brain. 9. Cover with plastic wrap again and store in the fridge until you're ready to eat it. These are great to make ahead for Halloween night and eat them before or after trick or treating. For more Halloween fun check out these posts: 13 Witchy Books for Fall DIY Cheesecloth Ghosts Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Like most families, spaghetti is a staple food around our house and we usually make it a few times a month. Recently though, I changed it up. I started making what I call Million Dollar Spaghetti! I named it that because 1. It tastes like a million dollars, it's so yummy! 2. I make it with some of the pricier sauces i.e. it "cost a million dollars". Not really, but it was a joke that stuck in our family. Now, this one-pot million-dollar spaghetti can totally be made with whatever sauce your family likes the best but I've made it with a variety of sauces and we keep coming back to this flavor combination. This makes a big batch of spaghetti, perfect for a large family or leftovers because it's remarkably even better the next day! One-Pot Million Dollar Spaghetti 1 lb mild Italian sausage, ground mushrooms, sliced (I use a whole pack of fresh mushrooms but skip if you don't like mushrooms) Rao's tomato basil spaghetti sauce, 24 oz jar Rao's roasted garlic Alfredo sauce, 15 oz jar 1 box of spaghetti noodles, uncooked 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese Serves: 8 Total cook time: 40 mins 1. In a large Dutch oven , cook your ground Italian sausage over medium-high heat until almost cooked through. 2. Add in your sliced mushrooms and cook down. 3. Mix in your spaghetti sauce and then fill the empty jar about 1/2 way with water and add that too. Stir to combine 4. Break your spaghetti noodles in half and put them on top of the sauce. Stir slightly to cover the noodles. 5. Top the noodles with a jar of Alfredo sauce. 6. Add your shredded mozzarella cheese to the top of everything. 7. Cover and cook on low, simmering, for 10 minutes. 8. Remove the lid and stir the noodles to make sure they are not clumping. 9. Cover and continue to cook on low for another 10 minutes. 10. Stir noodles again and recover for another 10 minutes. Your noodles are going to cook for a total of 30 minutes . I've tried to space it out more and only stir ever 15 minutes but I've had trouble lately with the noodles sticking so I've changed up the time a bit. 10. Stir before serving and enjoy! We serve our million-dollar spaghetti with a yummy side salad and sometimes some garlic bread.

Valentine's Day is always a fun night to experiment with new and exciting cocktails. When my husband and I were younger we always went out to a fancy dinner to celebrate Valentine's Day. Now, we avoid the crowds and make a "dinner date at home". While sometimes it is a romantic night in, usually we include the kids and do heart-shaped pizza, chocolate fondue , and cocktails for the adults. Valentine's Day is a day for love and why can't it be a family holiday!? Because we're always wanting to try new things in the kitchen, we decided to round up 10 Valentine's Day Cocktails we think sound good that you might like too! 10 Valentine's Day Cocktails These 10 cocktails are great for Valentine's Day and beyond! We included some that are popular classics that we don't always make and unique ones that sound yummy to try! Love Potion Cocktail - This bright red cocktail is flirty and romantic. It has cranberry vodka as its base and a piece of dry ice makes it look like it's smoking! Pomegranate Gin Fizz - This gin-based drink is a lovely egg white cocktail. I love the soft pink color and the fizzy component. Espresso Martini - Coffee cocktails have been a hit everywhere lately. This cocktail will help get the night started off with a pep in your step! Lavender Haze - This unique drink was inspired by the lovely Lavender Haze song from Taylor Swift. Get lost in your own lavender haze while sipping on this cocktail! Rose Champagne Cocktail - Roses and champagne are staples for Valentine's Day. Bring them together in this fun cocktail! Chocolate Strawberry Martini - This vodka-based drink has chocolate dripping down the sides. If I saw someone drinking this in a restaurant I would immediately want it. It looks like dessert in a glass! Spicy Paloma Cocktail - Add some spice to your night and you're cocktail with this hot honey and citrus drink! I already feel like I will want seconds of this drink! Old Fashioned - Keep it classic with this old-fashioned. It only takes 4 ingredients and it's a winner every time. This is a great one for warming up on a cold night. Raspberry Sorbet Bellini - This cocktail is simple but pretty to sip on! I love that instead of ice you're using sorbet to keep your drink cool and add flavor at the same time. Bloody Valentine - Blood oranges are in season right now and can be found in your local grocery stores. The blood orange juice in this cocktail perfectly balances with the elderflower liqueur.

To kick off March, I wanted to share some "Meatless March" meal ideas. These are great for meatless Mondays or any night you may want some meat-free dishes. This veggie chicken parmesan zoodles meal is the kind of meal that you can make as much or as little as you want. Making dinner for one or the whole family, this meal comes together in about the amount of time it takes to cook the chicken patties. This is a lightened-up version that is meat-free. Veggie Chicken Parmesan Zoodles Ingredients: Veggie Chicken Patties (I used Morning Star) Zucchini noodles Spaghetti noodles olive oil marinara sauce shredded mozzarella seasonings - salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning Cook your spaghetti noodles as instructed on the packaging. I cook about half of what I would normally make per person. Cook your veggie chicken patties as instructed on packing. You can either purchase your zucchini noodles from the store premade, or make your own from a zucchini and a spiralizer - I've done both ways. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan and saute your zucchini noodles until softened. Season as desired. Add in your spaghetti noodles to incorporate the zucchini and pasta together. In a small to medium saucepan heat your marinara sauce over medium heat until heated through. Plate your zucchini and noodles. Top with a scoop of marinara and a sprinkle of mozzarella. Cut your cooked vegetable chicken patty into strips and place on top of your sauce and mozzarella to melt your cheese. Serve and enjoy!

I vividly remember having a version of this as a kid. It didn't seem appetizing to my kid brain, but I was given it at a party, and was very surprised at how tasty it was! Now I've made my own version that is just as yummy! This veggie pizza is good for parties and potlucks if you want to break up the dips and cookies with some vegetables but still have something that looks pretty and tastes good. Veggie Pizza Ingredients: 2 rolls of refrigerated crescent rolls 1, 8 oz block cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup sour cream 1 packet Ranch dip mix 1 tsp dried dill garlic powder as desired 1 head of broccoli, chopped 1 small red bell pepper, diced 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced 1 carrot, shredded 1 small can of black olives shredded cheddar cheese, as desired Bake crust Preheat your oven to the temperature on your crescent roll package. Unroll both of your crescent rolls and lay side by side, slightly pinching together the seams and perforated areas to make one large crescent roll crust. Bake as directed on the package, mine was 13 minutes. Take out and completely cool your crust before adding the toppings. I prepped my veggies during baking and cooling. Cream cheese topping In a small bowl, mix together softened cream cheese, sour cream, ranch packet, dill weed and, garlic powder as desired. Store cream cheese mixture in refrigerator until ready to add to pizza. Once you are ready and your crust is completely cooled, add a thin layer, like pizza sauce to your crescent roll crust. Add veggie toppings If you haven't already, prep your veggies. Note, you'll only want to use the head of the broccoli, chopped into small pieces as shown. Just like decorating any other type of pizza, add the toppings you desire in the amount you desire. I usually top it in this order - broccoli, peppers, carrot, olives, cheese. You can also use other vegetables you like - cucumbers, cauliflower, radish, whatever you think would taste good. I gently press my toppings into the cream cheese sauce to help them stick, but this is not a necessary step. Cut into pieces and serve immediately or store in the fridge for a few hours before serving. This recipe will make the bread soggy if you wait too long to eat it so keep that in mind when prepping.

The kids and I love watching Harry Potter and making themed foods. I decided to try my hand at a new Harry Potter food. In the past, we've made Butterbeer Milkshakes as our go-to Harry Potter movie treat. I decided to turn that butterbeer goodness into a cookie. I've made cake mix cookies and cakes before and this one was so yummy! Butterbeer Cookies Ingredients: 1 box yellow cake mix 1 (3 oz) box of butterscotch pudding 3/4 cup melted butter 2 eggs 1 tsp rum extract 1/2 cup butterscotch chips 1/2 cup white chocolate chips tablespoon Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together the cake mix and pudding mix. In a small bowl, cut butter into small pieces and microwave 30 seconds at a time until melted. Mine took about 1 minute. Add the melted butter, eggs, and rum extract to the bowl with the cake mixture. Mix well. Fold in your butterscotch and white chocolate chips. Scoop the dough into rounded 1 tablespoon balls and place on a baking sheet, pressing down slightly. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet for a 1-2 minutes before transferring to cooling rack to finish cooling. This makes about 24-30 cookies. Store in an airtight container and enjoy! For more Harry Potter food check out our Mad Eye Moody Meatballs and Gillyweed Pasta .

This cheesy Rotel and Sausage dip is my go-to dip for holidays, potlucks, or game nights. It's cheesy, meaty, and always a crowd-pleaser. Cheesy Rotel and Sausage Dip Ingredients: 1 lb pork sausage 16 oz pack of Velvetta cheese, cut into cubes 2 - 10 oz cans of rotel, undrained Directions: In a large pot, brown your sausage and drain any excess fat. Add in your cubed cheese and both cans of Rotel, undrained. Turn the heat down to low and let the cheese melt down, stirring occasionally until all combined. Serve warm with your favorite tortilla chips (I prefer Tostito's Scoops) or sliced up vegetables for dipping like peppers or carrot chips. Crockpot version To make this in a crockpot, brown the sausage on the stove, and then add the sausage, cubed cheese, and Rotel in a crockpot on low for 2 hours stirring occasionally until melty. This is literally the easiest and best dip for parties! I'm serving mine for the Super Bowl!

Braised Beef Short Rib Ragu Ingredients 2 lbs beef short ribs 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp butter 2 carrots, finely diced 2 celery sticks, finely diced 1 medium onion, finely diced 16 oz mushrooms, sliced 1 tsp Italian seasoning salt and pepper to taste 6 cloves garlic, minced 3 tbsp tomato paste 2 cups dry red wine 28 oz can crushed tomatoes 1 cup beef stock (plus any more to cover meat) 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 4 sprigs fresh thyme 1 dried bay leaf Parmesan rind pappardelle pasta Fresh parmesan for the top Directions: Preheat your oven to 300. Salt and pepper your short ribs and set aside. Chop your garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms and set aside. Heat up your olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat Sear your short ribs until browned on all sides, 1-2 mins per side. Remove from Dutch oven and set aside. In your Dutch oven , add in the butter and turn the heat to low. Add in your onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms that you previously chopped. Season with salt and pepper and Italian seasoning. Cook until veggies are softened, about 10 minutes. Add in your minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Make a space in the middle of your cooked veggies and add in the tomato paste, stir together with vegetables and let cook for about 2 minutes. Pour in your red wine, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer and reduce down for a few minutes. Pour in your beef broth and can of crushed tomatoes. Stir together and season with salt and pepper to desired taste. Add in thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and paremesan rind. Return your beef short ribs to the Dutch oven , making sure they are covered by the liquid. If not, add a little more beef broth. Cover and bake in the oven for 4 hours, gently stirring about every hour. Once the beef is tender and cooked, remove the short ribs from the pot, it may fall off the bone. Remove any bones, and roughly shred the meat. Remove and discard the thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and parmesan rind. Add the shredded beef back into the Dutch Oven . Serve over cooked fresh pappardelle pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese. This is the type of comfort meal that I enjoy making for my family on a Sunday at home. You have to make sure you have enough time to create this dish but it's so worth it. It's rich and coats the pappardelle pasta with that decadent sauce. The fresh pappardelle noodles are just the chef's kiss for this recipe.